This invention relates to improved tools and more particularly to those adapted for removing and/or installing items from areas of difficult access.
At present, the general method for starting the threads on a nut, bolt, cap screw or other threaded fastener is manual, i.e., by the use of the fingers when the work area is readily accessible and not within a hostile environment, e.g., excessively hot or coated with an unfriendly substance such as a corrosive. However, there are instances in which the work area is either: (1) not easily accessible, or (2) in a hostile environment. In such instances, there has been a continuing need for improved tools for easily installing and/or removing workpieces such as threaded fasteners.
Various proposals have heretofore been made for solving the foregoing problems, illustrative of which are those set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,745,560 granted to Seilheimer on Feb. 4, 1930, 3,283,621 granted to Faso on Nov. 18, 1966, 3,288,002 granted to Mankovitz on Nov. 29, 1966, and 4,436,003 granted to Cox on Mar. 13, 1984. However, while the proposals of these patents were directed toward solving the problems, there yet remained the need for wrenches that were simple, inexpensive, versatile and that could be easily operated with one hand.